Applying for a Temporary Work Permit

New faculty members should take the time to review and understand the immigration process detailed below as well as the information listed in Things to Know Before You Arrive.

1. The Office of the Provost (Health Sciences Human Resources for Health Sciences faculty) normally submits an application for a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to Service Canada (SC), however in certain cases (see below), it may be possible to obtain a pre-approval from Immigration Refugees, Citizenship Canada for an exemption to the LMIA requirement.  Note that SC and IRCC processing times vary and Faculties are encouraged to submit the necessary documents to the Office of the Provost (Health Sciences Human Resources for Health Sciences faculty) as early as possible in order to avoid delays in the new faculty member’s start date.

2.  Exemptions to the LMIA requirement are as follows:

• NAFTA Exemption:

Citizens of the United States and Mexico can apply to enter Canada under the North American Free Trade Act (NAFTA) Exemption – IRCC website which allows business professionals, intracompany transferees, investors and “traders” to qualify for a temporary work permit without obtaining a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment(LMIA) from Service Canada. Under NAFTA, professionals seeking to work temporarily in Canada can now receive work permits for up to three years. The Provost’s Office of Faculty of Health Sciences will contact you with the required documentation.

• CCFTA and related Exemption:

Similar to the NAFTA agreement, citizens of Chile can apply for a temporary work permit to enter Canada under the Canada Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) without obtaining a positive Labour Market Impact Assesment(LMIA).

• Canada Research Chairs (CRC):

The Office of the Provost (Health Sciences Human Resources for Health Sciences faculty) can apply for a pre-approval of an exemption for a Labour Market Impact Assesment from IRCC for Award Recipients.  The necessary documentation from the Faculty along with the confirmation of the CRC award must be forwarded to the Office of the Provost (Health Sciences Human Resources for Health Sciences faculty) who will apply to IRCC for pre-approval for a Labour Market Impact Assessment exemption.  Nominees for a CRC who are coming to McMaster prior to obtaining confirmation of a CRC must undergo the Labour Market Impact Assessment process.  General information on CRCs can be found on the Canada Research Chair website.

If the application is successful, the Office of the Provost (Health Sciences Human Resources for Health Sciences faculty) will receive a positive LMIA from Service Canada or a pre-approval for LMIA exemption from IRCC.  The Office of the Provost (Health Sciences Human Resources for Health Sciences faculty) will email the LMIA or pre-approval to the new faculty member as soon as it is received.

NOTE:  New foreign academics are advised not to confirm travel or moving arrangements to enter Canada until they have received the positive Labour Market Imapct Assessment and have obtained approval for the issuance of a temporary work permit, including having applied for a visa if from a country, requiring visas (see below).

3.  As soon as the new foreign academic has received the LMIA or the pre-approval for LMIA exemption, he/she must apply for a temporary work permit from the nearest Canadian Immigration Office.   Information about applying for a temporary work permit, where to apply, and the application form can be found on the immigration website.  New foreign academics are advised to review the website of their local Canadian Immigration Office to ascertain processing times and required documentation.

In addition to a temporary work permit, citizens of some countries & territories will also require a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV).  If a TRV is required, it is not necessary to make a separate application; the immigration officer will issue the TRV at the same time as the approval for a work permit.  A list of countries and territories whose citizens need a TRV can be found on the IRCC website. Please ensure that you notify IRCC at the time of application to ensure that, if eligible, a multiple entry visa is obtained, which will allow you to travel in and out of Canada. For more information on working in Canada, please refer to Working Temporarily in Canada.

If the work permit is approved, the Canadian Immigration Office will issue a letter approving its issuance (the work permit is actually issued at the Canadian port of entry – see next step).  The new faculty member can now finalize their travel and moving arrangements.

4.  At the Canadian port of entry, the immigration officer issues the work permit, which allows the new faculty member to work at McMaster on a temporary basis. Upon entry into Canada, the new faculty member should have the following documents ready for the immigration official to assist the immigration officer in issuing the temporary work permit:

a)  The letter of approval from the Canadian Immigration Office (if applicable)

b)  A copy of the Labour Market Impact Assessment (Note: CRC’s must provide a copy of the CRC confirmation letter)

c)  Offer letter from McMaster University

d)  Passport(s)

e)  Temporary resident visa(s) (if applicable)

f)   Travel documents (i.e. airline tickets)

g)  Marriage certificate or Statutory Declaration of Common Law Union (if requesting a spousal work permit)

h)  Children’s birth certificates (if applicable)

5.  A temporary work permit will normally be issued for the duration of the Labour Market Impact Assessment, to a maximum of 3 years.  However, there are other factors, such as passport expiry date and date of the job offer, which the immigration officer will take into consideration when issuing a work permit. Your work permit will NOT be issued with an expiry date beyond the date of expiration of your passport, so do make sure your passport is valid for at least 3 years. If applicable, a spousal work permit and visitor records for accompanying dependent children will be issued at the same time.

Note: Send all documents and correspondence by a means you are able to track and ALWAYS keep a copy.

Applying for a Temporary Work Permit

Postdoctoral Fellows do not require a Labour Market Opinion and the offer letter from McMaster is used instead to obtain the necessary permit/visas.

Prior to arriving in Canada, foreign Postdoctoral Fellows are advised to familiarize themselves with McMaster and the benefits and amenities of the campus and surrounding area.  Helpful information is also listed in Things to Know Before You Arrive.

1.  As soon as the offer letter is received, the Postdoctoral Fellow must apply for a temporary work permit from the nearest Canadian Immigration Office.  Refer to IRCC’s website for further details on how and where to apply and the application form. Individuals are advised to review the website of their local Canadian Immigration Office to ascertain processing times and required documentation.

It is important to note that if a Postdoctoral Fellow will hold an unpaid appointment at McMaster, or will be receiving his/her own fellowship funding, an application for a work permit must still be made.

Please note that a work permit of at least one year in duration is required in order to be eligible for medical coverage under the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) and for coverage of school fees of school aged children.  Please refer to Things to Know Before You Arrive for further information on this and other related matters.

In addition to a temporary work permit, citizens of some countries and territories will also require a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV). If a TRV is required, it is not necessary to make a separate application; the immigration officer will issue the TRV at the same time as the approval for a work permit. A list of countries and territories whose citizens need a TRV can be found on the IRCC website. If you are planning to travel outside of Canada while at McMaster, please ensure that you notify CIC at the time of application to ensure that, if eligible, a multiple entry visa is obtained.  For more information on working in Canada, please refer to Working Temporarily in Canada.

2.  If the temporary work permit is approved, the Canadian Immigration Office will issue a letter approving the issuance of a work permit (the temporary work permit is actually issued at the Canadian port of entry). The Postdoctoral Fellow can now finalize their travel and moving arrangements.

3.  At the Canadian port of entry, the immigration officer issues the work permit, which allows the new postdoctoral fellow to work at McMaster on a temporary basis.  Your work permit will NOT be issued with an expiry date beyond the date of expiration of your passport, so do make sure your passport is valid for at least 3 years. Upon entry into Canada, the Postdoctoral Fellow should have the following documents ready for the immigration official to assist the immigration officer in issuing a temporary work permit:

a)  The letter of approval from the Canadian Immigration Office (if applicable)

b)  The offer letter from McMaster University

c)  Proof of PhD

d)  Passport(s)

e)   Temporary resident visa(s) (if applicable)

f)  Travel documents (i.e. airline tickets)

g)  Marriage certificate or Statutory Declaration of Common Law Union (if requesting a spousal work permit)

h)  Children’s birth certificates (if applicable)

A temporary work permit will normally be issued for the dates outlined in the offer letter. However, there are other factors, such as passport expiry date, which the immigration officer will take into consideration when issuing a work permit. If applicable, a spousal work permit and visitor records for accompanying dependent children will be issued at the same time.

Note: Send all documents and correspondence by a means you are able to track and ALWAYS keep a copy.

Applying for a Temporary Work Permit

1.  Once the visitor has received a letter of invitation from McMaster, he/she can begin the immigration process.

Prior to arriving in Canada, foreign visitors are advised to familiarize themselves with McMaster and the benefits and amenities of the campus and surrounding area.  Information can be found on our Things to Know Before You Arrive Page.

2.  Upon receipt of the letter of invitation, the foreign visitor must contact the nearest Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to determine what visas and/or work permits are required.  Depending on the activities and/or salary, a foreign visitor may require a work permit. Your work permit will NOT be issued with an expiry date beyond the date of expiration of your passport, so do make sure your passport is valid for at least 3 years.

Please refer to the CIC website for information on how and where to apply. If a work permit is required, the application form is found on the CIC website. Currently the cost of a work permit or a multiple entry temporary resident visa (TRV) is $150 each.  Depending on the immigration office, it can take several days to several weeks to process an application. Visiting academics are advised to review the website of their local Canadian Immigration Office to ascertain processing times and documentation required. Additionally, foreign visitors are advised not to make travel arrangements prior to receiving the necessary authorization from the Canadian Immigration office.

Please note that a work permit of at least one year duration is required in order to be eligible for medical coverage under the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP), and for coverage of school fees for school aged children.

Citizens of the United States or Mexico do not require a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to enter Canada and may apply for a work permit at the Canadian Immigration Office at a port of entry or border crossing upon their entry into Canada.  Foreign visitors who require a TRV and who are planning to travel outside of Canada during their stay at McMaster should ensure that they notify CIC at the time of application to obtain a multiple entry visa. Please note that not all persons are eligible for multiple entry visas.

3.  At the Canadian border or port of entry, the immigration officer issues the work permit which allows the visitor to work on a temporary basis at McMaster.

Upon entry into Canada, the visitor should have the following documents ready for the immigration officer:

a)  The letter of approval from the Canadian immigration office (only issued in the case of work permits)

b)  The letter of invitation from the University

c)  Passport(s)

d)  Marriage Certificate or Statutory Declaration of Common Law Union (if requesting a spousal work permit)

e)  Children’s birth certificates (if applicable)

A work permit will normally be issued for the dates outlined in the letter of invitation, however, there are other factors such as passport expiry date, which the immigration officer will take into consideration when issuing a work permit. If applicable, a spousal work permit and a visitor record for accompanying dependent children will be issued at the same time.

Note: Send all documents and correspondence by a means you are able to track and ALWAYS keep a copy.

1. LMIA based work permits cannot be renewed. To remain eligible to stay and work in Canada, faculty members must apply for permanent resident status. Please contact Faculty Relations with any questions or to register for the next immigration webinar.

a) NAFTA / CCFTA: NAFTA/CCFTA work permits can be renewed by applying online. Please contact Faculty Relations six months prior to your work permit expiring in order to begin the process of renewal. Under Research Award Recipient, please remove the second sentence all the way down to the end of the page. Add “It is the responsibility of the individual to obtain and maintain valid status to work at McMaster University. If you have Implied Status, you must not leave Canada until you are in receipt of your new documentation.

c)  Research Award Recipients: Research award recipients (e.g. CRCs) who entered on Research Award exemption can renew their work permits as long as they continue to hold their research award. The Office of the Provost (Health Sciences Human Resources for Health Sciences faculty) will send information to the member on how to renew their work permit.The Office of the Provost (Health Sciences Human Resources for Health Sciences faculty) will also produce a letter reconfirming the faculty member’s appointment at McMaster (skip to step 5).

3.  The Office of the Provost (Health Sciences Human Resources for Health Sciences faculty) will send a new LMO request to Service Canada. Note that it can take several weeks for Service Canada to process the request. However, there is no guarantee that a new LMO will be granted, which is why all foreign academics should apply for Permanent Residency at the earliest opportunity.

4.  Service Canada, if it approves of the application, will issue a Labour Market Opinion; if the application is successful, the Office of the Provost (Health Sciences Human Resources for Health Sciences faculty) will email the LMO to the faculty member as soon as it is received.

5.  Upon receipt of the necessary document/instructions from the Office of the Provost (Health Sciences Human Resources for Health Sciences faculty),the faculty member must complete a request to extend their work permit on-line and gather all documents required and submit them electronically as required by CIC or mail your completed application along with documents and fees to the Case Processing Centre in Vegreville, Alberta . The faculty member must pay the processing fee (currently $150) prior to mailing the application. CIC can take 8-12 weeks to process, however processing times may vary. Current processing times can be checked on the CIC website. Please note that the application must be submitted prior to the expiry date of the current work permit; preferably about 3-4 months in advance to ensure that the new work permit is received before or around the expiry date of the current work permit. Failing to so will cause complications to OHIP coverage and travel out of Canada.

Those faculty members who also require a temporary resident visa (TRV) should be aware that should they leave Canada, they will need to apply for another TRV (assuming that their TRV has expired). Effective May 29, temporary residents currently in Canada with foriegn worker status must submit their application for a new temporary resident visa to the Case Processing Pilot Office in Ottawa (CPP-O), or visa office that serves their counrty of nationality.

If applicable, a request to renew an accompanying spouse and/or child’s work or study permit or temporary resident status is made at the same time and on the same application form as the faculty member.

6.  Once the faculty member receives their new work permit, they must immediately apply for a new SIN card and also renew their OHIP card.

7.  Faculty members must provide a copy of the new work permit and the new SIN card to the Office of the Provost and Human Resources Department or Health Sciences Human Resources for Health Sciences faculty.

If a copy of the work permit does not arrive prior to the expiry of the current work permit, the faculty member must provide a copy of the receipt for payment of the CIC application fee and proof of mailing of the application. This provides the Office of the Provost (Health Sciences Human Resources for Health Sciences faculty) with the confirmation that the member has implied status, which allows McMaster to continue to pay the faculty member. An individual will only have implied status as long as they have submitted their application for a new work permit prior to the expiry of their old one, and the conditions of their employment have not changed.

It is important to note that while a faculty member has implied status they may not leave Canada.

1.  Visitors must contact their department to make arrangements, if necessary, to continue their stay at McMaster. Note that Visitors may only spend a maximum of 2 years at McMaster.

2.  If the appointment is to be renewed, the Office of the Provost (Health Sciences Human Resources for Health Sciences visitors) will arrange for a new Letter of Invitation to be produced and provide it to the Visitor.

It is the responsibility of the individual to ensure their work permit does NOT lapse. You must have a valid work permit even if you have applied for permanent residency.

Faculty will receive an offer letter from the Office of the President setting out their title, a list of their duties and responsibilities, the details of their start and end date, the details of their salary (if applicable), and the name and address of McMaster University as their employer. If you have not received an offer letter, please contact the Office of the Provost (Health Sciences Human Resources for Health Sciences faculty). Post Doctoral Fellows will receive an offer letter from the Department Chair or Director.

Foreign Academics are required to apply to Refugees, and and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the necessary permit/visa that allows them work for or visit McMaster.  Please review our information about obtaining the necessary immigration paperwork that will support your appointment at McMaster, or refer to the Refugees, and and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website for more information. A copy of the immigration authorization supplied to you by IRCC must be provided to the Office of the Provost (Health Sciences Human Resources for Health Sciences faculty) in the case of faculty. In the case of Post Doctoral Fellows, the authorization should be taken to Human Resources Services (Gilmour Hall 304). You must comply with the conditions of your work permit at all times.

If you are to be paid by the University, you must apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN) from Service Canada (SC). The SIN is a nine-digit number used in the administration of various Canadian government programs.  Please review our information on Applying for a Social Insurance Number (SIN) or the Service Canada website.

Your salary/earnings (if applicable) are paid bi-weekly.  If you have a Canadian bank account, you must arrange for your salary to be deposited directly into your account by completing an Employee Contact and Deposit Information Form, which needs to be sent back with your acceptance of a job offer or upon your arrival at McMaster.  Please ensure that you contact Human Resources or Health Sciences Human Resources to set up an appointment to sign in when you first arrive on campus.

While at McMaster, any earnings received are considered Canadian income, unless otherwise indicated by Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) in writing prior to arrival.  Please note that by law deductions are taken from your salary for Canada Income Tax, Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Employment Insurance (EI).  If you receive fellowship earnings, CPP and EI will not be deducted.  In the spring of every year, you will receive T4 and/or T4A slips from Payroll, which will be used to file your tax return. You must ensure your forwarding address is up to date in the event you leave McMaster prior to this time. Please contact a financial advisor or the Canada Revenue Agency for tax and financial information.  If you have any questions about paying income tax in Canada, please refer to CRA’s information for non-residents or contact the International Tax Services Office:

Calls from Canada and the US: 1.800.267.5177

Calls from outside Canada and the US: 1.613.952.3741

Fax number: 1.613.941.2505

***Collect calls are accepted***

Depending on your rank and the length of your appointment at McMaster, you may be eligible to receive benefits.  For more information on eligibility and benefits, the following Benefits booklets are available:

•           Faculty
•           Clinical Faculty
•           Postdoctoral Fellows

Residents of Ontario are required to have Ontario Health Insurance (OHIP) coverage.  OHIP is a government-sponsored program which provides a wide scope of benefits for medical and hospital services for all eligible persons who will maintain a minimum residency of at least three months in Ontario. Coverage begins after three months of residency and does not depend on employment. Application for coverage should be made within 30 days of arrival in Ontario.

For all individuals entering Ontario for the first time and for those who are returning and whose OHIP coverage has lapsed, a University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) has been set up to provide for basic health care coverage during the first three months. It is a mandatory program.

If you are accompanied by your spouse (including common-law partners), and provided your work permit is valid for at least six months, he/she will be eligible to apply for a spousal work permit and then to search for and take up employment in Canada. When applying for a spousal work permit, it will be necessary to provide proof of your relationship (i.e. a marriage certificate or a statutory declaration of common law relationship) and a copy of your work permit (unless the applications for the temporary work permits are made concurrently). If your spouse has not yet received a job offer, he/she can request an open work permit which will allow him/her to accept any job depending on whether or not a medical exam was taken. Further information is available on the Refugees, and and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website.

General information about Hamilton and the surrounding area can be found on the City of Hamilton website.  For information on McMaster’s policy on relocation expenses for faculty appointed on the basis of tenure and permanent track or contractually limited periods of two years or more, please review the policy on our website.

A list of Walk-in Clinics and City Hospitals is available on this Health Services website.

Information on obtaining a Driver’s permit is available on the Ontario Ministry of Transportation’s website.

Information on automobile insurance available to McMaster faculty can be found on the TD Insurance website.

To assist in finding your way around campus, a campus map is available on McMaster’s website.

McMaster employees are required to have a Photo ID card which provides access to various services on campus (Library, Fitness Centre, etc.).  Information on obtaining a Photo ID card is available on the University Technology Services website.

All McMaster employees are entitled to an email account.  Further information and an application form are available on the University Technology Services website.  Health Sciences faculty should review the Computer Services Unit website for information and an application form.

Complete information on McMaster’s Athletics and Recreation Department and the many services and facilities available can be found on their website.

The University Club provides its members and guests the opportunity to wine, dine, entertain or be entertained in a comfortable, private and relaxed atmosphere.  Please view the University Club website for information.

The McMaster Chaplaincy Centre has an open door policy and offers pastoral support to the entire community.  Information on the Chaplaincy Centre is available on their website.